New Artist Spotlight

I went to see a show and discovered a cool Asian cuisine restaurant! At first, I couldn’t find the venue because it is tucked away in the corner of an historic area in West Nashville. It was a dark and stormy night and I happened to see one person walk across the parking lot and go into the corner of the shops area. I followed, thinking that’s got to be the only place doing anything at 10:30 at night in this storm.

As I entered, shook off the rain and made sure the door guy knew I was on the list, I was welcomed by a cozy little restaurant that has been “after-hours-modified” into a cool, alternative venue. Is it small? Yes, indeed it is, but couldn’t be a better place to see an intimate show with your favorite artist.

The place? PUNK WOK. Yes, you read that right and it’s kind of a play on words, but is actually referring to their ability to cook whatever they want. During the restaurant hours, they cook fantastic Asian cuisine and after the dinner crowd is gone, they move some tables and carve out a corner for a band! I spoke to the owner, Clay, and he told me it was one of his manager’s idea to do this. According to the owner, it’s been a success! So if you are a foodie and love some good independent music, make sure to check out Punk Wok to see if you can find an artist that suits your tastes and go see a show!

After having Kelsey on The Nashville Rocks Show for independent musicians, I thought it was only natural to go see her perform live in front of an audience. Well, this adventure turned out to be a pleasant one. The first thing I noticed was the audience, full of youth and excitement as the night actually presented three artists of which Kelsey was the second artist to play that night. I had missed the first artist because I was coming over from the Music City Cares Veterans Benefit Concert at Wedge Pizza. It took a bit for the bands to swap places, but during that time, more people showed up for the show.

As Kelsey began to play, I also noticed the band was full of true musicians. The talent and skill displayed was that of a skilled band of many years, but coming out of much younger artists. Kelsey was vibrant and energetic and the crowd reacted to her with the same energy.

Much dancing was had and bubbles seems to activate a fever of energy as the night rocked on. Keeping the energy up, Kelsey shared her cover of “505” by Arctic Monkeys. Seeming to be a fan favorite, everyone was moving and grooving to that song.

As Kelsey moved and grooved herself as she performed in her shining blue sequined mini-dress, the crowd responded every time as the energy in the room seemed to be contagious. With great fervor, Kelsey ensured her band was introduced and shared in the limelight that was the Punk Wok stage.

To close of her set, Kelsey showed her release of her new music video for her song “Sway.” Everyone seemed to really enjoy it and give her much support for her music video efforts. If you haven’t seen it, head on over to the Nashville Rocks channel and check it out HERE!

Overall it was a great show and my only regret was not staying for the third artist of the night, Natasha Blaine. Hey, more music to research right? Check out both of these artists at their links below.

Kelsey Blackstone | SPOTIFY | Instagram | WEBSITE | APPLE MUSIC

Natasha Blaine | SPOTIFY | Instagram | WEBSITE | APPLE MUSIC